Slowly
by SpecialAgentLeeuh
Summary: Post Aliyah - Tiva - Tony and Ziva try to repair their relationship.
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING: Post Aliyah**

**Disclaimer: I own a copy of NCIS season 3, but that's pretty much it.**

**Apology: I like to switch POVs, you'll know when I do.**

**TIVA**

**Rated T for possible later chapters.**

**My first fanfic, I'll do my best.**

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NOW TO THE STORY!

~.~.~ - Tony's POV - ~.~.~

She sat there in her chair, she looked beautiful, I missed looking at her. I miss talking to her. I wish everything would be okay again. Before Rivkin, that bastard, we were getting so close to that relationship I've always secretly wished for. Maybe we'll get back there. Maybe it will be stronger. Maybe I'll be able to be sober for more than two nights in a row. I wish she'd look at me. I should stop staring at that amazing face, but I can't help it. God, I wish she'd forgive me. This is torture. Or maybe that's what she wants, to punish me. If so, she's doing a damn good job at it. I want Ziva. No, I need Ziva. I need her back in my life. She only talks to me if absolutely necessary. I would hardly even consider us work partners.

Maybe it's because she blames me, for having to stay in Israel. For getting captured. Only Gibbs really knows what happened. But everyone can tell she's been tortured. The scars that I think would be all over her. I've only got a glimpse of one, on her neck. She's been wearing long sleeved shirts ever since she got back. The scar, that went down to who knows how far, from what I saw, it looked horrible.

I'm worried. What if she has some kind of infection? What if they caused some kind of internal bleeding that is killing her slowly? What did they want from her so badly? Why would they hurt the most amazing woman I've ever met?

I haven't had a girl ever since Jeanne. I wonder if Ziva knows that. I wonder if she knows that I've just been focused on her, how much I wish I could call her mine. I wonder if she'll ever give me a second chance. I don't deserve it, but I really need it. Maybe if I got on my knees and begged. Maybe I will.

~.~.~ - Ziva's POV - ~.~.~

Will Tony ever stop staring at me? He has been, ever since I got back. But I guess everyone has, always asking me how I am, if I want anything. They do not understand that I am perfectly fine. Maybe I got a few cuts and bruises but this special treatment is much worse. I do not need it. I do not like it.

Tony is still staring. What does he need?

"Will you ever stop staring, Tony?" he looked so happy to see me say something, even if it was not the nicest thing to say. But it was better than the depressing stare he has been giving me since the time I arrived.

"I'm sorry Ziva, I didn't realize I was. I was lost in thoughts." he still looked happy. I did not know I had such an effect on him. I do miss him, but I am still so mad at him. If he would just admit he was jealous. If he would say he was sorry. If he would stop making me feel so uncomfortable, maybe I would start communicating with him more.

I did not reply. He looked disappointed. Maybe he thought we would actually have a conversation. I looked back at my paperwork, I had to finish before I went home and it was getting late. Only Tony and I were still there.

"Ziva?" I looked back up. He stood up.

He has tried not to bother me the past three weeks, so he has barely spoken to me unless it was about a case.

"Yes?" I tried to hide my curiosity.

"I'm sorry. I miss you. I want to have normal conversations again. I want you to smile when I say something funny. I want to hear you laugh again. I want..." he was looking at his feet now.

"Tony..." he looked up again with a frustrated expression.

"No, Ziva. Wait." now I was the one with the frustrated look on my face. "Could you please forgive me? Can I please have one last chance? I won't mess it up again. I won't. I promise."

"Okay Tony. We can try." his face lit up at once, I could not help but smile.

"Thank you so much Ziva!" and he immediately embraced me in a big hug. It hurt some. But it felt so good at the same time. And I bury my face in his sweatshirt.

Maybe this will work out, but it will be slow. This I know for sure.

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**So that's it. I might not add another chapter, it kind of depends on what kind of reviews I get, if I even get any. I'm sorry it's a little OOC.**

**Tell me what I'm doing right, and what I'm doing wrong?**


	2. Chapter 2

**Warning: Post Aliyah**

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, and I probably never will. But you'll know if I ever do.**

**TIVA**

**Rated T for later chapters**

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**I want to thank GardenRiver and Lady Grace of Masbolle for being the only two to review my first chapter, those two reviews meant a lot to me. And they are the one's who made this second chapter happen.**

~.~.~ - Tony's POV - ~.~.~

I thought she'd ignore my request for a second chance. I really did. But she accepted with out hesitating. Maybe she was drugged. That's always a possibility. Or maybe she was secretly sipping a few drinks, like I suspect Gibbs does when we're not on a case. But I don't think she was herself when she decided to forgive me. Now she would feel bad to take it back. Either way, I don't care. She forgave me and doesn't seem too resentful. She might be a little though, considering how much I've been talking to her. I must annoy her some, but I did before. She must have expected it!

I watch her as she walks into the office, she seemed happy today. God, I hope she doesn't have a date.

"Good morning Ziva!" she looks suspiciously at me, I assume because of my enthusiasm. "Why so happy? You don't have a date tonight, do you?" she laughs at me.

"No Tony, I do not. It is just a good day, yes?" Thank God! I thought for a minute she might.

"Oh, then would you like to come over? We could watch a movie and have dinner." I can't believe I just asked her that.

"That sounds wonderful Tony, but I happen to have other plans tonight. Maybe Thursday?" Damn it. Now she expects me to wait three days. What other plans could she possibly have? Don't push it DiNozzo, you don't want it to go back the way it was.

"Oh yeah, sure. Thursday will work." I think she can hear the disappointment because her smile fades a little. I feel a little bad now.

"Gear up!" Gibbs yells from coming out the elevator. "Dead petty officer!" Great. This sucks even more. It won't be a slow day, so not much conversation with Ziva unless it's something important to the case. I won't be able to annoy McGee or Ziva without getting a smack on the back of my head. I never really understood why he does that. I mean, I would think it's totally illegal. But I guess Gibbs doesn't really care about the rules unless they're his.

Gibbs is such a damn mystery. If I knew I wouldn't get caught, I'd have McGee look up everything about him. Ziva and him have always seemed pretty close. Maybe I'll ask her. When we get closer of course. When she actually trusts me.

I wonder if someone's been drugging me. When I think of Ziva, I don't think of sex. Which is strange, considering how attractive she is.

And then I snap out of it with the smack on the back of the head.

"DiNozzo! What the hell are you doing? I said gear up!" I immediately stand up, grab my pack and run to the elevator. Gibbs had beaten me there and Ziva and McGee were waiting in the elevator. I get so damn preoccupied with my thoughts sometimes. It annoys the hell out of me!

We finally arrive at the crime scene and we start investigating. This petty officer had one hell of a home. I don't know how she afforded it. I feel like I'm in _Indecent Proposal. _With that giant living room. Except of course, this one has blood all over it. I'd love to live in a place like this. But all I've got is my tiny apartment compared to this place.

Ducky starts to go on about some boring story again and I slowly make my way into the kitchen where I, of course, find Ziva.

"Well hello, Zee-vah." I love saying her name like that. She pretends she hates it, but I know she really loves it. I caught her smile a few times after I've said it.

"Hello Tony. Come looking for some food?" I give her a fake laugh, even though it's a thing most people would think I'd do.

"No of course not, I was looking for the bar." and she laughs a little. Even though it really wasn't the best of jokes. But I had to keep the conversation going, and I couldn't think of any other way to keep it going.

"Does Ducky know the time of death?" I love it when she tries to keep the conversation going, by asking some kind of question totally different than the subject we were on before.

"I don't know. I snuck out of there when he started telling another story." she laughs a little more this time. Her laugh makes me smile.

"We had better get back to work then, so Gibbs does not get mad." now I'm disappointed again. But I guess she's right.

"Yeah, I guess we should." I go back to the living room and start snapping some pictures, while I wait anxiously for Thursday.

**So I've thought of my excuse for the slight OOC-ness. Because I know it's there. It's post Aliyah! They must have changed at least a little. My excuse sucks. But oh well.**

**Review please? Even if you hate it. Tell me why?**

**Tell me where you want this story to go. Because I have a few ideas right now.**

**Sorry it's short, I don't want to carry it on too long. And it's too early for anything big to happen, in my opinion.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own NCIS, sadly.**

**Warning: Post Aliyah.**

**Tiva**

**Rated T for later chapters.**

**Thank you for all your reviews, they made my day. Which is good because my day sucked.**

**I'll try to write more in Ziva's POV, and get to the not so boring stuff. And just try to write more overall.**

~.~.~ - Tony's POV - ~.~.~

It's finally Thursday! Finally! I have been waiting for this day for well, three days. But it seemed like a lifetime. This night had better go well. But I don't know, she might be seeing someone. She's been acting strange ever since Tuesday. Ever since she had plans. She said it wasn't a date. She could have been lying. God, I hope she wasn't lying. I need this. I need this so bad. Just ten more minutes until we're off. I have to endure ten more minutes and then hurry home, gussy up, get out the ingredients. I'm making pesto tonight. I hope she likes pesto. I'm not the greatest cook, but I'm definitely not the worst. Five more minutes. 4:59. 4:58. 4:57..

"Tony?" Ziva startles me and snaps me out of my impatient thoughts.

"Yeah?" She smiles when I snap my head up.

"Are we still on for tonight?" Now I'm the one smiling.

"Yeah! Of course!" She nods with a grin and walks to the elevator. I grab my things and run to catch up before the silver metal doors close.

"I am excited for tonight Tony. Thank you for inviting me." I'm excited too, but I don't want to scare her off. So I don't think I'll tell her that. "What are you cooking?"

"Chicken pesto." I'm getting more excited as we're discussing it.

"That sounds delicious, I'll be there at 7:00?"

"Yeah, sounds good!" The elevator dings and we go our separate directions.

~.~.~ - Ziva's POV - ~.~.~

I put on a nice green dress, nothing too fancy. I do not want him to think this is going anywhere anytime soon. Of course I would like it too, but I know I am not ready yet. We just started talking again. The thought just does not work for me right now. Maybe someday far in the future.

I put on my black heels and head out the door. I do not exactly remember what his apartment number is. I have not been here for months. Ever since Michael came into town.

–

I finally figure out which apartment is his and I knock on the door. I can smell the food through the door. It smells wonderful.

I love watching movies with Tony. Even if he does get a little too enthused about them, he is like a child most of the time, it makes me smile. It makes me feel almost care free.

He opens the door and I walk into the living room and plop onto the couch. I can feel his eyes looking me over. Maybe I should have worn pants and a shirt instead. I know he does not try to make me feel uncomfortable, I just do not want him to think anything will happen. Because nothing will happen. Not yet, anyway. Maybe someday. Or maybe not. I have not made up my mind yet.

He comes and sits down next to me, with two plates in his arms. He hands one to me and put the other on the coffee table.

"What movie do you want to watch?" we both stood up and walked to the cabinet with movies. I was not surprised to see how many he has added to his collection since the last time I came here.

"Is _My Fake Fiance_ good?"

"Yeah, it's okay. Wanna watch that one?"

"Yes, we can try that one." We sat back down and started on our dinner as Tony pressed play.

-

"Did you like it?"

"Yes, it was good." he smiled.

"So, what did you have to do on Tuesday night?" I knew this question would come up. I have been waiting for it. Hoping it didn't come.

"I was just catching up with an old friend." He frowned. He was thinking of something entirely different than it was. But maybe it is better this way.

"Oh. So it was a date?" I thought this one would come too, but this one is easier to answer.

"No, it was not. I have not dated for quite a while." and now the question I have been debating on answering truthfully. I know it is coming.

"Then what was it?" That is the one. But I do not have the bravery I used to and I cannot tell him the truth.

"He was in town visiting some other friends, he heard I was staying here and asked if I could show him around. It was nothing." It was something. And Tony will find that out, but hopefully by me, when I am not too nervous to tell him. Lying probably is not the best way to start out our repairing our relationship but I am not sure what else I should do. Because the truth would not be the best idea either.

"Okay. Maybe I could meet him sometime?" I should have expected that to come next. But they cannot meet.

"He is not staying long. He said he leaves on Wednesday." Now he was getting suspicious. I can see it in his face.

"Is there something you're not telling me Ziva?" I should have expected that one too. But I did not.

"No, of course not! What else would there be to say?" He is onto me. I am going to ruin this all over again. But I cannot fix it. It is too late now. He is going to want to know. And he will find out somehow.

"All right then. But you know you can tell me anything, right?" I cannot tell him anything. And I won't.

"Yes, of course." He looks a little relieved, but not too much. "It is getting late. I will see you tomorrow in work, yes?"

"Yeah. I'll see you then." I smile and he gives me a fake one back.

-

I walk into my apartment and I look at the message machine. One new message. I think I know who it is from, but I will not listen to it now. I need to go to sleep. I need to stop thinking about what I have gotten myself into.

**WHO IS THE MYSTERY MAN?**

**I've just always wanted to do a cliff hanger kind of thing. So, there's more of Ziva's POV in there. I'll try to start evening it out, but I can't make any promises.**

**Review, pretty please?**


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